1. Title: What Would Jesus Buy; Director: Rob VanAlkemade; Release Year: 2007
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film’s main point is that America is completely obsessed with shopping and consumerism. It follows Reverend Billy of the “Stop Shopping Church” on their mission across America to spread their message and encourage people to shop less and remember that Christmas is about loving not shopping.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
The main issue is that people over shop and are literally obsessed with consuming. We have lost the real meaning of Christmas. People are too concerned with getting a good deal than where their products are coming from. Walmart is one of the largest, most recognizable corporations in the world yet they employ teenagers in underdeveloped countries for just cents per hour. And Americans continue to buy from Walmart.
Another main issue pointed out in this film is that we value products over relationships with each other. Instead of giving our love and affection as gifts, we buy more and more and think that means we love each other. Our relationships are deteriorating because of our needs to shop.
4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
I thought the short clips of interviews with real people were kind of shocking. To hear some of the women who blatantly stated that they did not care where their toys were made, they would spend all their money to get their children the presents they wanted, was almost sickening. The story of the store saleswoman who had been cursed out and spit on for not having enough video game consoles was also sickening. People really don’t care and for me that’s hard to watch.
I was also kind of surprised to watch the segment with the three teenage girls who were shocked by where the clothes were made in one of their favorite stores. One of the girls even commented that she would consider no shopping there anymore because of it. They even researched some of the problems associated with buying clothing made in underdeveloped, poor countries that implement sweatshops. I was happy to see that at least some young girls are conscious about these issues and willing to change their behaviors to make a difference.
5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why?
I think that some of Billy’s tactics are ineffective. If I saw a guy come into a store I was shopping in and start yelling about consumerism and addiction, I would probably try to ignore him and move on with my day. Some people might be affected by this but I personally wouldn’t respond to him the way I think he would want me to. I think his means of conveying his message kind of discounted what he had to say.
6. What audience does this film best address? Why?
I would say this film is meant to address Americans that are caught up in their shopping addictions. Reverend Billy’s entire mission is to get that word out there to people who do not realize what they are doing and stop them from continuing. I think it is also geared toward adults rather than children or teenagers. Although children are one of the main reasons for over shopping during the Christmas season, I did not feel that it was blaming them for the problem. It was aimed at the adults who are shopping for their children. It wants the parents to stop thinking that love is equivalent to the number of presents you give your child.
7. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental education value?
I think the film did not give enough facts and figures about consumerism. It definitely had some, for example we spend half a trillion dollars on the Christmas season, which is shocking. But I think it would have been more educational to add more rather than to continuously have segments that showed Billy yelling in mall after mall and getting arrested.
Another point that the film did not address is what happens to the products we buy when we have no use for them. E-waste is a massive problem around the world, as is regular waste. When we buy a lot, we throw a lot away and the problem continues.
8. What kinds of action and points of intervention are suggested in the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action that you can imagine being effective?
The film strongly urges us to stop shopping and buying as much as we currently do as a nation. It suggests buying from local stores to help keep money in the local economy. Buying local also helps local businesses that are struggling from competition with big businesses like Walmart. I feel that this is an effective way of solving some of the problem but a lot of the problem is that people want cheap and easy ways of getting the products they’re looking for. Local stores will not have the latest and greatest toys of the season. Education is a huge part of the equation that is missing. People don’t understand that their actions and purchasing practices have a direct impact on the actions of big businesses. If they bought fewer toys and products that come from sweatshops, there would be a smaller demand and businesses respond to consumer wants and demands.
I also found this article titled “Can We Shop Sustainably?” which is a great overview of our shopping patterns and how they fit on the matrix. It also points out that we must vote with our wallets and shop at locations that “reward responsible companies and help reduce some of the impacts of our consumption.” http://www.unh.edu/academic-affairs/discovery/dialogue/2010/pdf/2010_Dialogues_vandeveer.pdf
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film’s main point is that America is completely obsessed with shopping and consumerism. It follows Reverend Billy of the “Stop Shopping Church” on their mission across America to spread their message and encourage people to shop less and remember that Christmas is about loving not shopping.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
The main issue is that people over shop and are literally obsessed with consuming. We have lost the real meaning of Christmas. People are too concerned with getting a good deal than where their products are coming from. Walmart is one of the largest, most recognizable corporations in the world yet they employ teenagers in underdeveloped countries for just cents per hour. And Americans continue to buy from Walmart.
Another main issue pointed out in this film is that we value products over relationships with each other. Instead of giving our love and affection as gifts, we buy more and more and think that means we love each other. Our relationships are deteriorating because of our needs to shop.
4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
I thought the short clips of interviews with real people were kind of shocking. To hear some of the women who blatantly stated that they did not care where their toys were made, they would spend all their money to get their children the presents they wanted, was almost sickening. The story of the store saleswoman who had been cursed out and spit on for not having enough video game consoles was also sickening. People really don’t care and for me that’s hard to watch.
I was also kind of surprised to watch the segment with the three teenage girls who were shocked by where the clothes were made in one of their favorite stores. One of the girls even commented that she would consider no shopping there anymore because of it. They even researched some of the problems associated with buying clothing made in underdeveloped, poor countries that implement sweatshops. I was happy to see that at least some young girls are conscious about these issues and willing to change their behaviors to make a difference.
5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why?
I think that some of Billy’s tactics are ineffective. If I saw a guy come into a store I was shopping in and start yelling about consumerism and addiction, I would probably try to ignore him and move on with my day. Some people might be affected by this but I personally wouldn’t respond to him the way I think he would want me to. I think his means of conveying his message kind of discounted what he had to say.
6. What audience does this film best address? Why?
I would say this film is meant to address Americans that are caught up in their shopping addictions. Reverend Billy’s entire mission is to get that word out there to people who do not realize what they are doing and stop them from continuing. I think it is also geared toward adults rather than children or teenagers. Although children are one of the main reasons for over shopping during the Christmas season, I did not feel that it was blaming them for the problem. It was aimed at the adults who are shopping for their children. It wants the parents to stop thinking that love is equivalent to the number of presents you give your child.
7. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental education value?
I think the film did not give enough facts and figures about consumerism. It definitely had some, for example we spend half a trillion dollars on the Christmas season, which is shocking. But I think it would have been more educational to add more rather than to continuously have segments that showed Billy yelling in mall after mall and getting arrested.
Another point that the film did not address is what happens to the products we buy when we have no use for them. E-waste is a massive problem around the world, as is regular waste. When we buy a lot, we throw a lot away and the problem continues.
8. What kinds of action and points of intervention are suggested in the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action that you can imagine being effective?
The film strongly urges us to stop shopping and buying as much as we currently do as a nation. It suggests buying from local stores to help keep money in the local economy. Buying local also helps local businesses that are struggling from competition with big businesses like Walmart. I feel that this is an effective way of solving some of the problem but a lot of the problem is that people want cheap and easy ways of getting the products they’re looking for. Local stores will not have the latest and greatest toys of the season. Education is a huge part of the equation that is missing. People don’t understand that their actions and purchasing practices have a direct impact on the actions of big businesses. If they bought fewer toys and products that come from sweatshops, there would be a smaller demand and businesses respond to consumer wants and demands.
9. What additional information has the film compelled you to seek out? (Two supporting references)
With the information provided in the movie about shopping in stores and malls, I wanted to look into information about online shopping levels. Now, with the ability to sit at home in bed, at the office, or in class and shop, shopping is easier and more readily available to us, making our problem worse. I found that overall, 71% of US adults shop online.
http://www.itfacts.biz/online-sales-statistics-and-forecasts-compilation/378
http://www.infifthgear.com/news/blog/2010/08/02/quick-online-shopping-statistics/
I also found this article titled “Can We Shop Sustainably?” which is a great overview of our shopping patterns and how they fit on the matrix. It also points out that we must vote with our wallets and shop at locations that “reward responsible companies and help reduce some of the impacts of our consumption.”
http://www.unh.edu/academic-affairs/discovery/dialogue/2010/pdf/2010_Dialogues_vandeveer.pdf